World steel production increased by 4.6% in 2018

Global crude steel production reached 1,808.6 million tonnes in 2018, up 4.6% from 2017. Crude steel production increased in all regions in 2018, with the exception of the EU, which saw a 0.3% contraction.

Asia produced 1,271.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2018, 5.6% more than in 2017. Steel production in China in 2018 reached 928.3 million tonnes, an increase of 6.6% in 2017. China's share in global steel production increased from 50.3% in 2017 to 51.3% in 2018. India's crude steel production in 2018 was 106.5 million tonnes, up 4.9% on 2017. This means that India has replaced Japan as the world's second largest steel producing country. Japan produced 104.3 million tonnes in 2018, 0.3% less than in 2017. South Korea produced 72.5 million tonnes of steel in 2018, an increase of 2.0% over 2017.

In 2018, the EU produced 168.1 million tonnes of crude steel, 0.3% less than in 2017. Germany * produced 42.4 million tonnes of steel in 2018, down 2.0% on 2017. Italy produced 24.5 million tons in 2018, an increase of 1.7%. in 2017. France produced 15.4 million tonnes of crude steel, 0.7% less than in 2017. Spain produced 14.3 million tonnes of crude steel in 2018, down 0.1% in 2017.

North American steel production in 2018 was 120.5 Mt, up 4.1% from 2017. The United States produced 86.7 million tonnes of crude steel, up 6.2% on 2017.

The CIS produced 101.3 million tons, an increase of 0.3%. Russia produced 71.7 million tonnes of crude steel in 2018, which is 0.3% more than in 2017. Ukraine produced 21.1 million tonnes of crude steel in 2018, which is -1.1% less than in 2017.

Annual crude steel production for South America was 44.3 million tonnes in 2018, up 1.3% in 2017. Brazil produced 34.7 million tonnes in 2018, 1.1% more than in 2017.

The Middle East produced 38.5 million tonnes of crude steel in 2018, up 11.7% in 2017. Iran produced 25.0 million tons in 2018, an increase of 17.7% in 2017.

Steel production in Turkey in 2018 amounted to 37.3 million tonnes, which is 0.6% less than in 2017.